Base assembly for mechanical refrigerators and the like



Jan. 27, 1953 H. w. WHITMORE 2,626,851

BASE ASSEMBLY FOR MECHANICAL REFRIGERATORS AND THE LIKE Filed. Sept. 29, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 FIG.2.

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HARLANDWWHITMORE BY g g ATTORNEYS Jan. 27, 1953 Hfw. WHITMORE BASE ASSEMBLY FOR MECHANICAL REFRIGERATORS AND THE LIKE F iled Sept. 29, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 ll ll IJLIL 'UIlII ITI I II III lll LlLlLll W LIL :JJI-EL FIG.'3.

INVENTOR. HARLAND W.WH|TMORE ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 27, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs BASE ASSEMBLY FOR MECHANICAL REFRIGERATORS AND THE LIKE Harland W. Whitmore, Kenosha, Wis, assignor to Motor Products Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of New York I Application September 29, 1947, Serial No. 776,746

((31. BIZ- 253) 2 Claims. 1

The invention relates to mechanical refrigerators and more particularly to that type, in which the refrigerating mechanism is enclosed in the same cabinet containing the cold chamber.

It is the object of the invention to obtain a construction which permits of easily installing or removing the mechanism and also furnishes proper support for the same during operation.

It is a further object to facilitate the crating of the cabinet with the mechanism installed therein and to provide adequate support for the latter during transportation, With these objects in view, the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a refrigerator cabinet having my improved base assembly;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of line 3--3, Fig. 4, illustrating the base construction with the mechanism removed;

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the resilient supporting means for the compressor;

Fig. 6 is a section on line 8-6, Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a section on line l-1, Fig. 3.

The type of refrigerator specifically illustrated is that in which the food holding chamber is constantly maintained at a temperature below the freezing point of water to provide storage for frozen products. With such type it is usual to provide a top closure such, for instance, as a hinged lid. The cold chamber is arranged within the cabinet above the base thereof and the refrigerating apparatus is enclosed by the same cabinet, being arranged beneath the cold chamher. The specific construction of the upper portion of the cabinet, including the cold chamber, is not a part of the instant invention and will, therefore, be only generally described.

As shown A is an outer casing preferably formed of sheet metal and preferably of a substantially rectangular form having rounded corners. Within the upper portion of this casing is arranged an inner casing B forming a cold chamber, this being of similar form but with a space surrounding the same within the outer casing for containing the thermal insulation. Both outer and inner casings open at the top and are normally closed by hinged lid C covering the same. The outer casing A is provided with a horizontal partition A spaced from the bottom of the inner casing to receive heat insulation for the latter. A downward extension A of the casing A below this partition A encloses a space for receiving the refrigerating apparatus. However, as this apparatus is of considerable weight and in operation is subject to vibration, I have provided a supporting base structure therefore of the following construction.

D is a frame similar in form to the casing A but of slightly smaller dimension than the latter from front to rear. The frame D is formed of an inwardly opening channel member having the upper and lower flanges D, D and vertical connecting web D At each of the four rounded corners of the frame the vertical dimension is slightly increased so as to form supporting feet D which are depressed below the level of the remainder'of the flange D The front and side portions D and D of the frame D are continuous between the rounded corners thereof which form the feet D but the rear D of the frame is centrally cutaway to provide an opening through which a mechanism supporting base E may be inserted. This base E includes an angle bar E which extends across the cutout portion to join with the portion 1) on opposite sides thereof. It is connected t these portions by providing the latter with a substantially Z-shaped bracket member D the lower portion of which is welded or otherwise secured to the flange D While the upper portion overlaps the ends of the bar E to be bolted thereto. Connected to the bar E and extending transversely therefrom are spaced channel members E which extend completely across the frame B to engage the front bar D thereof. This front bar is reinforced by an angle bar D to which is secured clips D for clamping the ends of the channel bars thereto. The frame E is further provided with flat bars E3 and E extending across the channel bars E. at spaced points to be parallel to the angle bar E. Thus the frame E as a whole, when bolted to the brackets D and secured to the bar D by the clips D will be substantially rigid with the frame D.

The casing A is connected with the frame D by inturned flanges A at the lower end of the downward extension A These flanges overlap and are secured to the frame D preferably by Welding. The downward extension A along the rear wall of the casing A is cutway in line with the cutout portion of the frame D so as to leave an opening through which the mechanism on the frame E may be inserted.

With the construction as above described, the frame D forms a support for the entire cabinet including the outer casing A, inner casing B, lid C and the thermal insulation. The refrigerating coils preferably encircle and are supported by the inner casing B, but most of the rest of the refrigerating apparatus, including the compressor, is supported upon the removable frame E. The parts can therefore be assembled on this frame while outside of the cabinet and then inserted through the opening in the rear wall of the casing A, the conduits being then connected to those which are associated with the inner casing B. The specific construction of this refrigerator mechanism is not the subject matter for the instant invention and, therefore, will not be described. However, the compressor F is diagrammatically illustrated and this is provided with a cushioned support on the frame E including rubber pads G located within the channels of the channel members E the coil springs G above said pads and central bolts G ,Threaded nuts for engaging the bolts are Welded or otherwise secured to the webs of the.channel members E and similar nuts are elsewhere located for securing other portions of the mechanism to the frame E.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A refrigerated cabinet comprising outer sheet metal cabinet structure having front, rear and side walls, the central lower portion of said rear wall being cut away to provide 'an access opening through which operating mechanism may be inserted and withdrawn, the lower edge of said front and side walls and the end portions of said rear wall being turned inwardly to form supporting flanges, a generally O-shaped supporting base for said cabinet structure comprising an elongated unitary member having a front, side and rear portions connected by rounded corner portions, said rear portions extending toward each other from the rear end of said side por- Cir tions and being spaced apart to extend aid access opening in said cabinet downwardly below the cabinet structure, said base being of inwardly open channel form having a vertical web, an upper horizontal flange on which the inturned flange of said cabinet structure is supported, and a lower horizontal flange, the vertical web of said base extending downwardly at the corners of said base below remaining portions thereof to displace the lower flange of said base at the corners downwardly below'remaining portions of said flange to form supporting feet, a frame insertable and removable through said access opening, said frame including a rear bar, and means for attaching the ends of said bar to the inner ends of the rear portions of said base to secure said frame in position and to tie the rear portions of said base together.

2. Structure as defined in claim 1 comprising means on the front portion of said base intermediate the upper and lower horizontal flanges thereof for supporting the front of said frame.

HARLAND W. WHITMORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 968,201 Shannon Aug. 23, 1910 1,242,779 Davis Oct. 9, 1917 1,951,655 Greenwald Mar. 20, 1934 2,078,681 Otte Apr. 27, 1937 2,257,374 Fritz Sept. 30, 1941 2,270,407 Blood Jan. 20, 1942 2,438,257 Stevenson Mar. 23, 1948 2,454,727 Wherry Nov. 23, 1948 

